Committee hears testimony on bill to raise in‑house county road project cap to $350,000; three other bills sent to rules

At a House committee hearing, lawmakers heard testimony on House Bill 48 45, which would raise the dollar threshold that allows county road agencies to perform certain maintenance projects in‑house from $100,000 to $350,000 and place an overall cap of $1,350,000, supporters said.

Supporters said the change is intended to let county road agencies use existing crews and equipment for short‑term preservation work and avoid repeatedly outsourcing small projects. "We are looking at this as an efficiency bill," said Ed Noyola, identified in the hearing as a county official. Testimony described the work the bill targets as short‑term preservation — thin overlays under 1.5 inches, chip sealing and crack sealing — intended to extend pavement life by several years.

Proponents told the committee the $100,000 cap has not been updated since the early 1980s and has become impractical for routine maintenance. They said allowing higher in‑house thresholds can help counties retain…